US President Joe Biden met with Nikos Christodoulides, who became only the third leader of Cyprus to be officially welcomed into the White House. Following the meeting, the American leader said that he was optimistic about the prospects for a Cyprus settlement.
The meeting is significant. It takes place in the anniversary year
“2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the artificial division of the Republic of Cyprus. I remember it well, it was my first year in the Senate,” Joe Biden said. He also added that Turkey's invasion of Cyprus was a "sad event." “However, I remain optimistic about the possibility of reuniting the country within the framework of a bizonal, bicommunal federation,” Joe Biden said.
He recalled that he visited Cyprus as Vice President of the United States in 2014. According to the head of the White House, the fact that Cyprus and the United States are engaged in dialogue and cooperation on a wide range of issues is gratifying. These are, first of all, issues of defense and security, intelligence and increased humanitarian assistance.
Relationships on the rise
Nikos Christodoulides also addressed the Cyprus issue in his response, saying: “I count on your support and the support of the United States in our efforts to resume negotiations.” He noted that it was a great honor for him to be invited to the White House, since Cyprus is a strategic partner of the United States.
“Relations between Cyprus and the US are now at an all-time high,” he said. The President of Cyprus emphasized the close cooperation between the two countries in matters of defense and security, energy, law enforcement, technology and innovation.
We need to make more active use of the existing potential
Christodoulides also spoke of the "untapped potential" in relations between the two countries, the "clear and strong political will of both countries" to further strengthen their relations and deepen cooperation. This, he said, is evidenced by the beginning of a “strategic dialogue” between the two countries. Regionally, Cyprus remains a “predictable and reliable partner of the United States” in a region of “great geopolitical importance.”
Humanitarian assistance will be strengthened
Christodoulides spoke about a plan to send humanitarian aid to Gaza and evacuate third-country nationals from Lebanon. He noted that a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon “could be reached in the next one to two weeks.” In carrying out these tasks, Cyprus was on the “right side of history,” the Cypriot President said.
Biden also expressed satisfaction with the Gaza aid plan. “Cyprus made all this possible,” stated the US President.
Christodoulides was accompanied by Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos, government spokesman Konstantinos Letimbiotis, Head of the Sub-Ministry for European Affairs Marilena Rauna, and Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States Evangelos Savva. They were met at the White House by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, European Affairs Adviser John Carpenter and US Ambassador to Nicosia Julie Fischer.
MP proposes Cyprus to join NATO
In the entire history of the Republic of Cyprus, this is the third visit of a Cypriot leader to the White House. In 1962, Archbishop Makarios met here with John Kennedy, and in 1996, Bill Clinton received Glafkos Clerides.
After the start of Christodoulides' official visit to the United States, MP Averof Neophytou called for Cyprus to join NATO. “My firm position is that we belong to the West and that to ensure the security and stability of our country, Cyprus must join NATO,” he said.
The text was prepared based on materials from the Cyprus Mail publication
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